v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Befooled p. pr. & vb. n. Befooling. ] [ OE. befolen; pref. be- + fol fool. ] 1. To fool; to delude or lead into error; to infatuate; to deceive. [ 1913 Webster ]

This story . . . contrived to befool credulous men. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cause to behave like a fool; to make foolish. “Some befooling drug.” G. Eliot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. fouler to tread, crush. Cf. 1st Foil. ] A compound of gooseberries scalded and crushed, with cream; -- commonly called gooseberry fool. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. fol, n. & adj., F. fol, fou, foolish, mad; a fool, prob. fr. L. follis a bellows, wind bag, an inflated ball; perh. akin to E. bellows. Cf. Folly, Follicle. ] 1. One destitute of reason, or of the common powers of understanding; an idiot; a natural. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A person deficient in intellect; one who acts absurdly, or pursues a course contrary to the dictates of wisdom; one without judgment; a simpleton; a dolt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Extol not riches, then, the toil of fools. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other. Franklin. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Script.) One who acts contrary to moral and religious wisdom; a wicked person. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Ps. xiv. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. One who counterfeits folly; a professional jester or buffoon; a retainer formerly kept to make sport, dressed fantastically in motley, with ridiculous accouterments. [ 1913 Webster ]

Can they think me . . . their fool or jester? Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

April fool,
Court fool, etc. See under April, Court, etc. --
Fool's cap, a cap or hood to which bells were usually attached, formerly worn by professional jesters. --
Fool's errand, an unreasonable, silly, profitless adventure or undertaking. --
Fool's gold, iron or copper pyrites, resembling gold in color. --
Fool's paradise, a name applied to a limbo (see under Limbo) popularly believed to be the region of vanity and nonsense. Hence, any foolish pleasure or condition of vain self-satistaction. --
Fool's parsley (Bot.), an annual umbelliferous plant (Aethusa Cynapium) resembling parsley, but nauseous and poisonous. --
To make a fool of, to render ridiculous; to outwit; to shame. [ Colloq. ] --
To play the fool, to act foolishly; to act the buffoon; to act a foolish part. “I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.” 1 Sam. xxvi. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Fooled p. pr. & vb. n. Fooling. ] To play the fool. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To waste time in unproductive activity; to spend time in idle sport or mirth; to trifle; to toy.
Syn. -- fool around. [ PJC ]

Is this a time for fooling? Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To infatuate; to make foolish. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

For, fooled with hope, men favor the deceit. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To use as a fool; to deceive in a shameful or mortifying manner; to impose upon; to cheat by inspiring foolish confidence; as, to fool one out of his money. [ 1913 Webster ]

You are fooled, discarded, and shook off
By him for whom these shames ye underwent. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To fool away, to get rid of foolishly; to spend in trifles, idleness, folly, or without advantage. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To exceed in folly. [ R. ] Young. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Tom (see Tomboy) + fool. ] A great fool; a trifler. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + befool. ] To deliver from the state of a fool; to awaken the mind of; to undeceive. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + fool. ] To restore from folly, or from being a fool. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]